Nokia files for "Cseries" trademark -- but what's it for?

Those who follow Nokia know that its phone lineup is divided roughly into three segments: the Nseries, populated by high-end, media-heavy smartphones (plus the N770, N800, and N810 tablets); the Eseries, concentrating on business, and the four-digit line, which acts as a catch-all for anything not deserving of an Nseries or Eseries designation. It looks like Espoo could be prepping to add a fourth line into the mix, though, on news that they've gone ahead and trademarked "Cseries" in Finland. What "C" stands for is anyone's guess, but this does dovetail nicely with the near-constant stream of information suggesting Nokia will be driving hard with MIDs and netbooks later this year and next, so maybe the "C" stands for "computer." Of course, it could also stand for "crap," so we've just got to wait and see what becomes of this little moniker.

[Via puhelinvertailu]

[Aaron @ Jul 18th 2009 1:11PM]

My guess? C is for consumer and it'll be used for Nokia's currently XXXX smartphones (5800, 6650, etc).

[Newone @ Jul 18th 2009 2:54PM]

Good guess. That was one of my guesses.

Computer is still my favorite. Consumer comes tight second.

I'd throw in Camera too, my third guess. My least favorite but possible if Nokia started to release phones with even better cameras.

[twinpeaked @ Jul 18th 2009 2:56PM]

Exactly what I thought when I saw it

Good call Aaron

[Gerii @ Jul 18th 2009 3:00PM]

Maybe a new communicator series for the businessmans out there? Oh, that's what Eseries is for I think..

[CheshireCat @ Jul 18th 2009 3:30PM]

May be "C" stands for Capacitive and they finally will start using friggin capacitive touchscreens. Just kidding. But it's a shame that their new flagship N97 that has awesome hardware and screen size and resolution, but lacks capacitive screen. It's not just multitouch, it's that it's so freaking annoying how hard you have to press ressistive touchscreens. It's like not a touchscreen but more like a "pushscreen". Especially considering how ridiculously expensive it is.

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 4:29PM]

I do think their branding strategy for the 5800 was strange. If not putting the 5800 in the N-series was meant to underplay the significance of touchscreens and S60 5th edition, then they've got a big hole in the N-series since the N97 is fairly high end, similar to a 32GB 3GS outside the United States. Why don't they just put the 5800 in the N-series? I get the feeling a N8X touchscreen isn't far off, so there's plenty of room for a C-series below that.

Or it could be their MID line, sure.

[The_Photon @ Jul 18th 2009 5:12PM]

Maybe it stands for 'cool'... ya know the iPhone killer we've all been waiting for?

[Shinigami @ Jul 18th 2009 6:46PM]

My guess C is for Cheap series! But they prefer "Budget" instead.
N for multimedia computers, E for business phone computers and C is for ... something. There's also XM for music phones. Don't take it seriously though.

[Nikesh @ Jul 19th 2009 12:18AM]

Maybe C stands for "Cigarette" and that cig lighter phone we saw yesterday was just a really, really fast KIRF.

[Freakin Ijit @ Jul 19th 2009 6:45AM]

"'C' stands for "California" for when Nokia, last in a myriad of potential suitors pushed by the media, buys Palm!

(no, I find it hard to believe that any sane entity would spend $4-$5+ billion for the still-unknown Pre/WebOS but, you know, someone DID buy PalmSource for an at-the-time-outrageous price so precedent has been set!)

[Mark Anderson @ Jul 19th 2009 7:09AM]

I'd go for Consumer too.

[zfurie @ Jul 19th 2009 10:32AM]

Its a medical line of devices developed for C-sarian operations.






*groan - kill me now*

[Wwhat @ Jul 19th 2009 12:28PM]

What does the n in nseries mean anyway? Nokia? And since nokia is finnish should we not be guessing words in their language?

[ragetek @ Jul 18th 2009 1:13PM]

or carl-ziess maybe? like sony ericsson cybershot series...
either way, sounds interesting!

[ed @ Jul 18th 2009 1:20PM]

they really jump around with their letters... e, n, and now c

[Pontro! @ Jul 19th 2009 2:20AM]

NEC

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 1:21PM]

Wow. Bashing a series that's just a trademark filing is going too far.

Nokia's had lots of ups and downs in its 20 years as a phone manufacturer, and even if you think the N97 was crap (I don't - it has flaws, but it's far from useless) but it's hardly over for them. But I suppose bashing companies in a rut as doomed companies not "baller" that everyone know totally sucks is just part of internet life.

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 18th 2009 1:29PM]

Read the post. Then read it again. Find the "bashing," then we'll talk.

If you're talking about my joke at the end of the post, congratulations -- you've successfully bent my post to fit your need to pigeonhole me as an Apple apologist and Nokia hater.

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 2:03PM]

I know you meant it as a joke, and I don't find it especially funny. What if Engadget started an product line called "Engadget C" and someone made the exact same joke?

You're doing the whole "take it lightly guys, it's a joke, lighten up" but it's perfectly fine for me to find your joke not funny and disliking it entirely. I would tell a friend the exact same thing if they told a similar joke. Why must I find your joke funny? I didn't, and told you so.

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 18th 2009 2:05PM]

Never asked you to find it funny, just letting you know that I'm not "bashing" Nokia or a line that we know nothing about.

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 2:11PM]

Then it's clarified. I understand your position, and I respect you for taking the time to talk to me about it.

I suppose my "But I suppose bashing companies in a rut as doomed companies not "baller" that everyone know totally sucks is just part of internet life" comment went a bit too far, and reflects more on frustrations than Chris.

[G. I. @ Jul 18th 2009 3:04PM]

Stop whining, Nokiatard.

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 3:14PM]

I was whining at first, then I was settling an issue with Chris. Now I understand Chris isn't a Nokia hater.

YOU hate people who like Nokias. Why do you hate?

[dsteve303 @ Jul 18th 2009 3:16PM]

OMGz you got a writer to talk to you. Iza so jealous.

[Leo @ Jul 18th 2009 7:19PM]

@Chris Ziegler
Even if you are not bashing Nokia (as you say), it's not nice to use such words as "crap" in a post. It doesn't make me want to read such posts. Not professional at all.

[Sarvesh @ Jul 19th 2009 11:25AM]

Guess Chris hasn't gotten over the bashing his 5800 review got.

[Oroka @ Jul 18th 2009 1:24PM]

They might have some problems with that, as Bombardier aerospace already has 'C Series' trademarked in most of the major countries around the world for their new airliner they are building.

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 18th 2009 1:26PM]

I could be wrong, but I think that multiple companies can share a trademark as long as there's no demonstrable risk of consumer confusion.

[Rauha @ Jul 22nd 2009 9:08AM]

You are correct, for example Kingston's solid state drives for servers are called "Eseries".

My own guess would be that Cseries will be used for Maemo devices.

[Rauha @ Jul 18th 2009 1:41PM]

I just read the orginal finnish article, and according to it, the trademark application has been filed in the category of "Mobilephones, smartphones and their accessories".

I guess that means no for the computer theory.

[giuliop @ Jul 18th 2009 1:26PM]

'Of course, it could also stand for "crap,"'

So that must be exactly what people think when they see "C. Ziegler", right?

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 18th 2009 1:30PM]

It was a joke, and a lighthearted one at that. What's with you guys today?

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2009 1:32PM]

LMAO

[sacapuntas @ Jul 18th 2009 1:35PM]

Use your aggresive feelings, boy. Let the hate for Chris Ziegler flow through you.

[Newone @ Jul 18th 2009 1:46PM]

Actually, giuliops joke was funnier...

[giuliop @ Jul 18th 2009 2:26PM]

Why, I can't spot a teeny weeny bit of difference between the light-heartedness of your joke and that of mine, so why your reaction is "What's with you guys today?" and not "LOL"?

[indi @ Jul 18th 2009 1:31PM]

Help me out, Engadget.
Who sucks most, still Sony or is Nokia catching up?

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2009 1:37PM]

Sony I think..............I cant get over the fact that they ve not announced a PSP with two control sticks. The fact that the upcoming PSPGo is a tad expensive; without including a touchscreen for navigation when the screen is not slided up

[iLoveApple @ Jul 18th 2009 1:48PM]

Nokia are VERY close, but Sony still suck more.

[Imran @ Jul 18th 2009 1:31PM]

It could also stand for crap? Wow... Just wow...

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2009 1:39PM]

Yikes, dat was meant for INDI

[where u at? @ Jul 18th 2009 1:34PM]

Whoa there. Chris Z made THREE comments one this ONE article?! This is a new record.
But seriously, I know you engadget writers, when doing a comment you fill it with curse words to vent your frustration then erase all of that to replace it with something highly intelligent but still has a 'fuck you for disrespecting my article' undertone.

[Pat Bea @ Jul 18th 2009 1:35PM]

Chris
your fine with your joke
some people are a little high strung
keep up the good writing

[Aaron @ Jul 18th 2009 1:38PM]

Agreed. It's a joke, people need to get over it.

Chris isn't a Nokia hater, Thomas Ricker is the idiot in that particular village.

[iLoveApple @ Jul 18th 2009 1:42PM]

Well, Aaron, that must mean that you're the Nokia-loving idiot in your village, right?

[Phreak @ Jul 18th 2009 4:29PM]

So you can't have a positive opinion about a company/product that deserves it(or not, but in this case it deserves) without being called an X-lover(Nokia, Apple, Microsoft, etc.)? You must find it hard to be a hater in the loving world that surrounds you.
I miss really good comments on some articles because of people like you.

[Mark Anderson @ Jul 19th 2009 7:13AM]

@iloveapple

Actually about 40% of the village love Nokia. Only about 2% love Apple.

[composure @ Jul 18th 2009 1:42PM]

Thanks for the news

IMHO, I felt like you bashed the Nokia reading this sentence "Of course, it could also stand for "crap,"

However, after I saw your comment that it was a joke, that feeling was gone :)

[iLoveApple @ Jul 18th 2009 1:46PM]

You certainly must be the life of the party. Anyone who couldn't tell that Chris intended that as a joke is just... stupid.

[Ypoknons @ Jul 18th 2009 2:13PM]

Except at the party, one bad joke can get you into physical trouble. Which is also why I'm glad this is a blog, not a party.